It is not known where John Park was born, nor who were his parents.Some sources have tried to link John Park to Daniel Parke, buried inBruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. While Daniel Parke, and especiallyhis son Daniel Parke, Junior were very interesting characters, dates ruleout Daniel Parke as being the father of John. It is, however, very likelythat there was a relationship between the two families, as a land grantof Daniel Parke bordered the property of John Parke, in New Kent County,Virginia.John Park was first listed in St. Peter's Parish records in 1684, andagain in 1686 as a member of the vestry. On 5 October 1687 he waslisted as John Park, Sr., so a distinction was being made between his sonJohn Park, Jr. On 5 October 1695 he was listed as church warden. After1704 John Parke did not appear as a member of the vestry, so evidentlyhis health had deteriorated, so that he could not perform the duties of amember of the vestry.On 28 February 1689, the New Kent County Court ordered each vestry toput forth their parishes into precincts and to appoint a time forprocessioning and "Remarking ye: bounds of Each mans Land" On 4 May1689 the vestrymen of St. Peter's Parish set their precincts and orderedthe processions "goe" between May 10 and June 10 next. On that date thevestry convened with only seven of its members. These seven orderedthat David Cranford, John Parks, Will Pasley, and George Smith "doe showa just Reason for theire not apearing at this Prsent vestry otherwise tobe "fined" a certain amount of tobacco in casks. As members of thevestry were men of prominence, and large land owners, it can be safelyassumed that John Parks was one of distinction.In the processioning orders, it was customary to list together, men whoowned land adjacent to each other. In the listing Mr: Jno: Roper Senr:, wasfollowed by Mr: Wm: Bassett Jnr:, Mrs: Eliz: Littpage, Wm: Harman &Edmund Bedford, Nich Cox, Jno: Parks Junr:, Mrs: Pierce, Mr: Conding, Mr.Poindexter senr: etc. These persons were listed on page 10 of the VestryBook. On page 11 were listed Jno: Parks Senr: listed close to Nick Lossen,Tho: Renalls, Jno: Lydd__ and Tho: Wilkinson.John Parke owned 200 acres of land in New Kent County in 1704. JohnParke Senr departed this life 17 Jan 1709-10. His widow Mary Parke died9ber ye 17th, 1714.

References: The basis for this information on the Park family was Early Virginia Families Along the James River compiled by Louise Pledge Heath Folly - 1980Virginia Historical Quarterly, volume 35, p. 25.Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, New Kent County.2 William and Mary Quarterly volume 1, pl 207.